BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Jaydin Alvarez and Shyla Crowe each drove in two runs, while pitcher Leanne Dicks struck out eight in the Union County High School softball team’s 11-1, five-inning win over visiting Hawthorne on April 19.
Makenzie Radford hit a walkoff, run-scoring single to end the game early as the Tigers improved to 11-8.
Union scored all the runs it would need in a four-run first. With one on and two outs, Crowe hit an RBI single. After Campbell Webb was hit by a pitch, Brooke Hunt walked to load the bases. Mia Kent singled to drive in a run before Alvarez hit a double that scored two.
The Tigers led 7-1 before scoring four runs in the fifth. They had no one on with two outs when Jailyn Simmons singled. The Hornets committed two errors on the play, which allowed Simmons to circle the bases and score. Emma Handley then walked, followed by Dicks reaching on an error that scored Handley. Mackenzie Orton hit an RBI single before Union loaded the bases, with Crowe walking and Webb hitting a single. Radford then delivered the run-scoring hit to enforce the mercy rule.
Handley and Dicks went 3 for 3 and 3 for 4, respectively, while Alvarez and Crowe each went 2 for 3.
Kent, Orton, Radford and Webb each finished with one RBI.
In the circle, Dicks allowed four hits and no walks.
Union travels to play Chiefland on Tuesday, April 23, at 6 p.m. and will travel to play North Marion on Thursday, April 25, 6:30 p.m.
The Tigers will then play in the District 6-1A tournament. Matchups, dates and times weren’t known by deadline.
